Archive Report
Archive Report
Advertising Abuses and the Government
Increased Government Concern for Consumers
Recent disclosure of shady practices in the broadcasting industry—rigging of television quiz shows and handing out of secret payments to disk jockeys to plug particular records—gave public confidence in the honesty of broadcasters and broadcasting a blow whose repercussions are still being felt.1 Viewers and listeners deceived in one quarter grew more than ordinarily wary of deception in another. They began to cock critical eyes or ears at TV and radio commercials, sometimes at advertising in general. Meanwhile, federal regulatory agencies went to special pains to give consumers pointers on how to protect themselves against those who would take advantage of them; they moved also to step up action to put a stop to false or ...